A Punch to the Heart
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Bella was never very good at guessing games...New Moon AU.


**A Punch to the Heart **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-set in New Moon AU.**_

Bella glanced down at the hands resting near hers and sighed heavily. Really? This is how they wanted to play it? So much for a restful trip to the cinema. All her machinations had come to naught. Served her right for trying to be devious. Jessica had let her down and Angela and Ben had cried off because Ben had a cold. _A cold_? Jeez, Angela was whipped if she had stayed at home to nurse the poor dear back to health. Bella couldn't keep the bitterness out of her thoughts. Why couldn't anything in her life run smoothly. She was trying her best wasn't she? She had come out of her shell and was trying to mix again. She looked sideways at each of the boys; Mike's hand was dangerously close to her thigh, his fingers were almost touching her jeans, as for Jacob he seemed to be playing it cool. He was looking straight ahead and was laughing at the terrible film they had come to see. Oh, Jake, he was such a sweetheart, and Mike? Well he was just an irritant.

She continued to sit rigidly in her seat, her hands placed carefully in her lap. The awful film got louder as gunfire broke out between the rival gangs on the screen. The leaders spouted such cliché ridden drivel that it was no wonder half the audience was in fits of laughter. Bella glanced at Jacob again, his head was thrown back as he laughed, his perfect white teeth gleamed in the darkness, and his long, shiny black hair spilled around his broad shoulders. She was so entranced that she didn't realise she was staring at him. Jacob suddenly turned her way, and a happy grin crossed his face as he caught her looking. Bella blushed red and coughed awkwardly. Damn, that was mortifying! Now he would get the wrong idea. She shifted a little, raising one of her hands to push a lock of her hair behind her ear. But before she could follow through with this action, Mike Newton grabbed her hand in his clammy grip. He had got the wrong idea after seeing her move a little closer to his side. Bella was so startled she let out a small cry and literally yanked her hand back, crawling out of her seat, and on to Jacob's lap.

Jacob's grin widened when he suddenly found his arms full of the hot girl he had been crushing on for months. He shot Mike a triumphant look as he wrapped his arms around Bella and cuddled her close to his chest. "It's okay." He cooed, stroking her luxuriant brown hair as he spoke. "Its just a film. I'll look after you."

Bella was in shock. What had she just done? This wasn't meant to happen. She started to scramble off of Jacob's lap, but his natural warmth, and the feel of his arms wrapped comfortingly around her and the way he was stroking her hair, made her pause. It felt nice and safe being held by him. He may be two years younger, but you wouldn't think so by the size of him. There was something solid and safe about Jacob Black. So instead of feeling embarrassed about what she had done, Bella found herself nestling closer to Jacob and closing her eyes in a rare feeling of contentment. Well that was until Mike Newton decided to puke his guts up anyway.

* * *

Jacob's face showed his disgust as he came out of the men's room after checking in on Mike. "You are lucky you didn't have to go in there." He pulled a face.

Bella hid her laughter. Poor Mike! It wasn't his fault. He just found it hard to take a hint. Hopefully after tonight's disaster he would definitely get the message. She strolled next to Jacob toward the entrance of the cinema. He was so darn tall now she had to crane her neck to look up at him. His amusement seemed to have faded now and he was wearing a serious expression. "You alright?" She asked cautiously. She couldn't understand his sudden change in mood.

"Um...not really." Jacob studied her intently for a moment before reaching out and taking her hand, and trying to lace his fingers with hers.

Bella was taken aback for the second time that evening. She didn't know what to do. She became flustered and pulled her hand out of his, putting a little space between them as she did so. She could see that Jacob was annoyed at her, and she could see why. One minute she was climbing onto his lap in a darkened cinema and now she was pulling the virtuous act. Even she couldn't understand her flip flopping emotions. Bella sat down on some steps, and pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear nervously. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

Jacob sighed and leaned against the railing. He still looked a little irked but at least he was trying to keep his cool. "Why, Bells? Just tell me why?"

"I don't know." Bella shrugged, hoping against hope that he would just drop the subject so they could go back to being just _friends. _Yeah right! _Too late for that little Miss Clingy,_ she thought to herself.

"Bella, please, you were practically all over me in there." Jacob was not impressed by her usual avoidance tactics. "Jeez girl, you were sitting on me."

"I fell." Bella blushed when this lame excuse slipped from her lips. My god, she was a douche! She hid her head in her hands so she wouldn't have to see him rolling his eyes.

Jacob sat down beside her and nudged her shoulder with his. He could feel the burn from her intense mortification. He always found it endearing when she turned red, even though he knew she hated it. "Well I'm glad it was my lap you fell in and not Newton's." He joked, trying to get her to smile. It worked. Bella pulled her hands away and her lips curved upwards ruefully.

"Me too." She confessed.

They were both silent a moment as they stared at each other. Their faces became serious as the seconds ticked by. Ever so slowly, with neither really aware of what they were doing, their faces inched closer and closer. Jacob took Bella by surprise as he closed the gap between their lips in a sudden move. She jumped and they ended up smacking their foreheads together. "Ow." They said in unison.

"Nice one, Bella."

"Nice one, Jake." They said at the same time. They glared at each other irritably before suddenly bursting into laughter. "Oh, I'm such a halfwit." Bella reached out and rubbed Jacob's forehead gently. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too." Jacob echoed her words from earlier. "Can I hold your hand now?"

"You already are." Bella pointed out.

This time it was Jacob who blushed a little. Small red circles appeared on his high cheekbones as he grinned at her. "Oh yeah, so I am." He leaned forward a little and rubbed his nose against hers in an Eskimo kiss.

Bella couldn't believe how cute he was. God, she was just going to do it. He wanted to. She wanted to. For once she wasn't going to let the ghost of Edward Cullen stop her. This time she took the lead by inclining her head toward his and kissing him soundly on the lips. Jacob was definitely shocked, but that didn't stop him from reciprocating at once. His hand tangled in her hair as he drew her closer to his incredible warmth. This was an opportunity he was not going to waste with silly questions or being noble. If she wasn't sure, she wouldn't be kissing him right now.

"Don't worry yourselves will you?" Mike's irritating voice broke in on their special moment. "I'm only dying here." He moaned.

Jacob and Bella pulled apart, both shooting him a dark glare as they yelled at him in unison to "SHUT UP."

* * *

Two days. It had been two long, lonely days since Bella had last seen Jacob and kissed him. He was ill, or so Billy kept saying. Something in the older man's voice made her certain he was lying. Yes, Jake may have mono, but surely that wouldn't stop him from speaking to her? She understood if she couldn't see him while he was contagious, but why wasn't he talking to her? What had she done? The night at the cinema after they had parted, he seemed in a happy mood. He had stolen another kiss before he drove home. She had pointed out to him that he looked a little feverish, but he had brushed it off as nothing. Now this! "Talk to me, Jake." She pleaded as she heard the dial tone whistling down her ear. "Please?"

* * *

After a week Bella gave up. She knew when she wasn't wanted. Obviously she had misread the situation. For Jacob it must have been a little flirtation, it was only her who had built it up inside her head as meaning something more than it was. She stopped calling and took to her bed. She was feeling under the weather herself now. After spending the last few days not sleeping or eating properly it took its toll on her.

Bella lay on her side staring at the open window lifelessly. She had never felt such misery in her life. This was worse then when Edward had left her so abruptly. What was it about her that drove boys away? It hurt more because Jake had known how fragile she was feeling, and to do this to her was beyond cruel. She hadn't known him at all. Her cell phone began to ring, but she ignored it. It was probably a worried Charlie checking in on her from work. She waited for it to go to voice mail. But when it did it began to ring again straight away. This happened four times until she couldn't take the persistent ringing and answered it. "I'm fine." She barked down the phone.

"I'm not." Jacob's husky voice sounded full of pain. Bella sat up too quickly, nearly falling off the bed in her haste. "Bella? Are you there?"

"I'm here." Bella said in a strangled tone. She couldn't believe it was really him, especially after all those days of silence. "You sound awful."

"I feel awful." Jacob replied. "Can you come here, Bella? My dad's gone out for a while. I can't come to you, but you could come to me. That wasn't in the rules."

"Rules? What Rules?" Bella had no idea what he was talking about. She pressed the phone closer to her ear. "Aren't you still contagious? You have mono right?"

"I don't have mono. That was a bullshit story that my dad concocted." Jacob sounded angry. "Will you come now before he gets back? For once I'm not being watched."

Bella was totally confused now and a little fearful. Watched? What the hell was going on? Well she wouldn't find out sitting here fretting about it. "I'm on my way." She promised before ending the call.

* * *

Jacob answered the door to her frantic knocking straight away. Bella gasped at the sight of him as his large frame filled the doorway. He had grown, in every respect. He was wearing nothing but shorts which hung low on his hips. For the first time since she had fallen off her bike and he had rescued her, she got a good look at his toned abs and his taut body. His muscles bunched under his smooth skin as he picked her up in his strong arms as if she weighed no more than a small child. It was only when he raised her to eye level that she noticed he had cut his beautiful long hair short. "Jake, your hai..." She never got to finish her sentence. She was suddenly surrounded by an incredible heat as his lips crushed hers in a fervent kiss, literally stealing her breath away.

* * *

"You're not ill." Bella mumbled when she finally regained her composure. She was still reeling from the incredible kiss he had landed on her as soon as she arrived. She was inside the house, sitting on his lap again, nestled against his amazing body.

"I was, and still am, but not when you're here." Was his confusing answer.

"Huh?" Bella pulled back a little to study him. His brow was furrowed and he seemed a little anxious. "What's going on?"

Jacob opened his mouth but nothing came out. His expression turned dark. "Damn them." He snapped.

"Jake,you make no sense. Please talk to me?" Bella begged him.

Jacob crushed her against his chest again, his arms wrapping so tightly around her she felt like she couldn't breathe. "Jake. Air." She choked out.

"Oh my god, sorry." He looked so crestfallen when he realised what he had done that it hurt her heart.

"Hey, its okay. Just tell me what's wrong?" Bella stroked his short hair, making the front spike up. Usually it was him comforting her, it felt strange the other way round, but she had to confess, it made her feel good.

"I love you. I can say that." Jacob declared passionately. He inclined his head toward hers and kissed her again, a little more gentler this time, but she could feel the passion behind it. Wow, he was so good at that. She wondered briefly if he had been practising.

"Oh, my Jacob." Bella stroked his cheek this time, letting her fingers trail across his hot skin.

"You need to guess, Bells." Jacob was very frustrated. His body was tense again, and his grip on her tightened. "Guess."

"Well give me a hint." Bella suggested.

Jacob became thoughtful. He pressed soft kisses all over her face as he tried to think of what to say. Eventually his eyes brightened and he turned her in his arms to face him fully. "The stories I told you on First beach. Do you remember them?" He prompted.

"Stories...yes." Bella became misty eyed as she recalled happier, more innocent times. It was the day she had flirted with him to find out more about Edward and his family. Jeez, she had been so naïve.

"Yes, do you recall what they were about?" Jacob had hold of the tops of her arms now. He was on edge, his dark eyes begged for her understanding.

"The cold ones. You spoke about the cold ones..." Bella saw disappointment flood his face. He released her and dropped his eyes to the floor.

"I guess you would only remember that part." He mumbled disconsolately.

Bella felt like she had failed a test. Jacob looked so forlorn she couldn't bear it. "Um...the cold ones." She repeated. "They were enemies of...um the tribe and...and..." She forced her weary mind to work harder.

Jacob's head shot up and he gathered her to his hot body again. "Go on." He urged her.

"Something about protectors and...and...wolves?" She questioned, feeling completely hopeless. How was this going to help? What did any of it mean?

Jacob was excited now. His dark eyes filled with love as he captured her lips in another heated kiss sending Bella's body into meltdown. He was going to be the death of her she thought briefly as her heart pumped madly in her chest. "You did it." He crowed when the kiss ended.

"I did?" Bella smiled at him stupidly, having no idea why he was suddenly so happy. "That's great." She enthused as he rained kisses all over her face. She had passed the test, whatever that was. She settled back into his arms and nestled against his warm body. Really there was no feeling like it in the world.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


End file.
